![]() Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. We link primary sources - including studies, scientific references, and statistics - within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. Surgery may involve a lung transplant or the removal of the diseased parts of the lung. Oxygen therapy helps people with severe COPD, who have low oxygen levels, breathe better. Some treatments for severe COPD include oxygen therapy and surgery. Antibiotics: These treat respiratory infections.Steroids: These reduce swelling in the airways.Bronchodilators: These relax muscles in the airways, which opens them and makes it easier for a person to breathe.In addition, the CDC lists the following medication options for treatment: If a person’s spirometry test indicates that they have COPD, the most important thing they can do is quit smoking and take steps to avoid secondhand smoke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).ĭoctors also recommend pulmonary rehabilitation, which is a personalized program involving diet, exercise, and energy conservation techniques. The earlier a person receives a diagnosis, the sooner a doctor can optimize treatment. This is because symptoms often do not appear until after the condition has progressed.Īccording to the research article, spirometry can lead to an early diagnosis because it shows evidence of COPD before any symptoms appear. One 2014 research article notes that the presence or absence of symptoms is not a reliable indicator of COPD. Ratio of FEV 1 to FVC (FEV 1/FVC): This ratio, along with FVC and FEV 1, are the key measurements that doctors use to make a diagnosis of COPD.Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV 1): This is the volume of air an individual can exhale in the first second of a forced exhalation.It is a different measurement from vital capacity, which is the maximum air that someone can exhale after a full inhalation, whether they forcibly exhale or not. Forced vital capacity (FVC): This is the volume of air that a person can forcibly exhale in one breath.Spirometer measurementsĪ full inhalation followed by a forced exhalation allows the spirometer to take the following measurements: ![]() These measurements reveal accurate information about their lung function. The machine shows the amount of air the person blows out, as well as the speed with which they blow it. Afterward, the person may feel tired or lightheaded. The technician who administers the test instructs the person to inhale deeply and fully and then exhale hard and fast. The tubing attaches to a small, computerized machine. In a spirometry test, a person blows air into a mouthpiece with tubing.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |